by Nigel Percy

Created on: July 25, 2009

The desire for equal rights in today's society sounds noble and wonderful and something which we should all strive for, doesn't it? But, just because something sounds great, doesn't mean that it is achievable. It also doesn't mean that it even can be achievable.

Throughout history there have been revolts, documents and laws all directed at the idea of equality in one form or another. What most of these had in common, especially in the earlier examples, was the levelling of the playing field. It was more along the lines of, 'We want what you've got and we're prepared to fight for it.' It was less about everyone having the same, and more about trying to peg the rich and powerful down a little.

However, after the abolition of slavery, there was more of an interest in the philosophical idea of equality. It is from the 18th century that we really began to develop and pursue more aggressively the idea of real equality.

As soon as people began examining this idea though, it became clear that it was almost impossible to achieve. And the impracticalities still remain. How, for example, can a paraplegic have the same rights as a fully fit person in terms of access, dining and recreation? Or, what equality can there be in terms of education, pay and employment between a genius and someone who's less than average intellectually?

At a basic level, it is true to say that all men (and women!) are created equal. They all live and breathe the same air. But beyond that, there really isn't very much else that can be said. So, why do we seek equal rights when it can plainly not be achieved in real terms?

Firstly, it is because there is, in humanity, a drive to at least give people opportunities to progress, to change their lives, to attain goals. To realize that, it is necessary to remove social obstacles, such as slavery and other forms of oppression.

Beyond that, legislation seeks to allow greater freedoms; freedoms of movement and of access which will allow the disadvantaged opportunities previously difficult or impossible to attain. So there are adjustments to laws about justice for all, freedom of information, physical access, non-discriminatory legislation and so on.

But, after that, there is little else which can be done in terms of law-making. When all groups in society have been recognized as needing special consideration, and those issues dealt with, it does not change the intelligence of the genius, nor does it make the paraplegic whole. So, what is the next step in this drive for equality?

The next step has to be in education. Educating the future citizens that everyone has something to contribute is vital if true equality is to be experienced. Equal rights are not to be found in legislation or in changing building codes or anything like that. Equality is to be found in the way each human being deals with every other human being. Equality is to be found in the mutual respect each has for the other.

Whether that utopian vision can be realized is another matter. You cannot legislate to make people think a certain way. Neither can you demand that it is to happen. It can only be done through example, through leadership and through gentle training.

With that said, it is highly doubtful that equal rights will ever be achieved in society as it now is. Society itself must change in order to have this dream realized.

Yet, if humanity still nurtures that dream of equality, of the inherent nobility within mankind, it is not too hard to think that true equality will be achieved...someday.

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